Subterranean conduit cover

ABSTRACT

Provided are covers useful for covering the open end of an access conduit that may contain fluid control equipment. In one embodiment, a cover according to the invention comprises a disc-shaped base portion having a top surface and a bottom surface, with a plurality of groups of stability tangs attached to its bottom surface. A cover as provided herein is readily adaptable to fit a large number of conduit boxes, valve boxes and the like which are presently in common use.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/074,790 filed Mar. 6, 2008, which was a continuation-in-part of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/811,849 filed Jun. 12, 2007, bothcurrently still pending, and to which benefit of priority of both ofthese applications is claimed, the entire contents of both of theseapplications being herein fully incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to means for accessing subterraneanconduits, which may include plumbing controls. More particularly, itrelates to a cover, which is useful for covering conduits.

BACKGROUND

Access conduits are frequently employed, where it is desired to haveaccess to a control device, such as a valve associated with, forexample, a sprinkler system in a residential or commercial lawn setting.In such applications, there exists a network of pipes through whichwater may flow during the normal course of providing irrigating water tosuch lawns, and often it is convenient for the field technician to havethe ability to relieve water pressure from a particular segment of sucha sprinkler system. Hence, there are often cases where it is desirous tohave a shutoff valve disposed along a distribution line in such asystem, in a subterranean location. Accordingly, to protect controlequipment such as valves from corrosion or other attack by the elementsover time, subterranean conduits have been developed, which aregenerally enclosures which may be buried in the ground, and within theconfines of which a control device such as a valve may be housed to beprotected from environmental factors. It is desirable for a fieldtechnician to have ready access to such valves, and typically theopening at the terminal end of a tubular access conduit has a flat lidwhich is placed over it, which may be removed as desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Provided are covers useful for covering an open terminal end of anaccess conduit. In one embodiment such covers include asubstantially-circular, disc-shaped base portion having a top surface, abottom surface, and a circumferential edge, and the base portion isdimensioned to cover the open end. There are a plurality of groups ofstability tangs attached to and extending downwardly from the bottomsurface of the base portion. The plurality of groups of stability tangscomprises any number of groups of stability tangs between two andtwelve, inclusive, wherein each of the groups may comprise any number ofindividual stability tangs between two and six, inclusive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the bottom of a cover according toone embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of a cover according to one embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 3 shows a side perspective view of a cover according to oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the top of a cover according to oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 shows bottom perspective view of a cover according to oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 shows a side perspective view of a cover according to oneembodiment of the invention and its relation to an access conduit whichit is intended to be capable of covering;

FIG. 7 shows a side perspective view of the top open portion of anaccess conduit;

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the top of a cover according analternate embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 shows a side perspective view of a cover according to analternate embodiment;

FIG. 10 shows an overhead view of a cover according to an alternateembodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 11 shows an underside view of a cover according to an alternateembodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 12 shows an overhead view of the open end of a conduit according tothe prior art; and

FIG. 13 shows the engagement between a stability tang of a coveraccording to one embodiment of the disclosure and an engagement ringsegment on a conduit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIG. 1 there is shown aperspective view of the bottom of a cover 10 according to one embodimentof the invention. In this FIG. 1 there is shown the base portion 3,which exists substantially in the form of a circular disc, having abottom surface B, which in one preferred form of the invention is flat.Attached to the bottom surface B of the base portion 3 is a circular rib5, which is disposed to protrude or project upwardly from the bottomsurface B. In one embodiment, the circular rib 5 has a rectangular crosssection and has a top surface T. In one embodiment, the top surface T isplanar and is substantially parallel to the bottom surface B of the baseportion 3. In one preferred embodiment, the circular rib 5 is disposedannularly, so as to form a ring, which ring may be located at any pointbetween the center of the base portion 3 and the outer edge of the baseportion 3. In a preferred embodiment, the circular rib 5 is disposed tobe present on the bottom surface B of the base portion 3 at any locationthat is distanced between about one-twelfth of the radius of the baseportion 3 and three-fourths of the radius of the base portion 3, fromthe outer circumferential edge of the base portion 3. For example, inone embodiment, when the base portion 3 has a radius of 10 centimeters,the circular rib 5 may be disposed at any location that is between aboutten-twelfths ( 10/12) centimeters from the outer circumferential edge ofthe base portion 3, and 7.5 centimeters from the outer circumferentialedge of the base portion 3. In one preferred embodiment, the baseportion 3 has a radius of 10 centimeters, and the circular rib 5 isdisposed at a location that is about 3 centimeters from the outer edgeof the base portion. The location of the circular rib 5 from thecircumferential edge of the base portion may be measured from any pointon the top surface T of the circular rib, including the inner edge,outer edge, or any point therebetween. In one embodiment, the circularrib 5 has a width dimension of between two millimeters and fourcentimeters, as viewed from its cross-section. This width dimension isalso the width of the top surface T of the circular rib 5, when itscross section is rectangular, as in one embodiment. In one embodiment,the width of the circular rib is between about two millimeters and tenmillimeters wide. In a preferred embodiment, the circular rib 5 has awidth dimension of about four millimeters, as viewed from itscross-section, corresponding to the width of its top surface T and thecross section is rectangular, the circular rib being disposed so thatthe midpoint of the width dimension of the circular rib 5 is distancedat a point about three centimeters from the outer circumferential edgeof the base portion 3.

Disposed at the top surface T of the circular rib 5, and equally spacedthereabout, with regards to one another along the circular rib 5, are aplurality of risers 9. In one embodiment, the risers 9 extend upwardly,and in a direction that is away from the bottom surface B of the baseportion 3, and can also be viewed as protruding upwardly from thecircular rib 5, as shown in FIG. 1. The risers 9 are contoured to have acurvature, which substantially matches, and in one embodiment hascongruent curvature with the circular rib 5, which embodiment havingsuch congruent curvature can be seen readily from the bottom view inFIG. 2. In one embodiment, the risers 9 are each substantiallytriangular as viewed from a side perspective, with one of the legs ofthese triangles so defined being attached to and co-extensive with asegment of the circular rib 5, with the remaining leg of these trianglescomprising intersections 13, each of which intersections 13 havingattached thereto a contact shoe 11. The intersections 13 in oneembodiment permit some movement of each of the contact shoes 13independently from the relatively stationary position of the risers 9.In one embodiment, this is accomplished by having the thickness of thematerial from which a cover 10 is comprised being made thinner at theintersections 13 than either on the risers 9 or contact shoes 11.Alternatively, the intersections 13 may be scored, as one scores glass.In yet another alternative embodiment, the cover 10 is polypropylene andthe intersections 13 are polypropylene hinges, as such are well known inthe art of molded polypropylene articles.

FIG. 1 also shows a plurality of rib segments 7, extending from separatepoints on the inner wall of the circular rib 9 to a common center hub 17at which the rib segments intersect, the center hub 17 being shaped inone embodiment in the form of a cylinder and also being disposed on thebottom surface B of the base portion 3. These rib segments 7 may in oneembodiment be analogous and identical to the circular rib inconstruction and cross-section, differing therefrom only in that theyare linear, and are not annularly disposed on the bottom surface B ofthe base portion 3, but rather are disposed in the interior spacedefined by the circular rib 5, as shown. The rib segments 7 and centerhub 17 provide added strength to the cover 10. There is also a hole 15,disposed through the base portion 3, which enables a user to lift thecover from an installed position by inserting their finger through thehole and pulling the cover upwards.

The dotted lines in FIG. 1 show shapes of the risers 9 according toalternate embodiments, when the risers 9 are viewed from the sideperspective, including risers having rectangular and smooth curvedsurfaces, in addition to embodiments in which the risers 9 appearsubstantially-triangular as viewed from the side, as described below.

A cover 10 according to the invention is preferably comprised of amaterial having a reasonable strength, and suitable materials includestainless steel, steel, aluminum, any metallic alloys, polymers,polyethylene, polypropylene, alpha olefin copolymers, thermoset resins,thermoplastic vulcanizates, fiberglass, wood, composites, pressed woodfiber composites, etc. It is especially preferred that a deviceaccording to the invention be fabricated from an injection-gradepolypropylene, based on its strength and durability. However, anymaterial having strength sufficient to support about 150 pounds withoutundergoing substantial deformation or fracture when installed at theterminal end of a conduit, pipe, valve box or like enclosure(hereinafter simply, “conduit”) at ground level is suitable for use inproviding a cover 10 according to the invention. When polyolefins, otherthermoplastics, and other materials are employed as the material ofconstruction, it is relatively simple to provide a cover 10 according toone or more embodiments, in which a cover 10 as shown in FIG. 1 is madeof unitary construction (or “one-piece” construction), that is—whereinall elements described above are present on a single injection moldedpiece. Thus, the cover 10 shown in FIG. 1, and in other embodimentswithin the teachings of this disclosure, is a single molded article.

In FIG. 2 is shown a bottom view of a cover 10 according to oneembodiment of the invention. The respective locations of the baseportion 3, circular rib 5, risers 9, and contact shoes 11 are shown, aswell as the rib segments 7 and center hub 17. Also shown are theintersections 13, which are the locations at which the contact shoes 11are attached to the risers 9. In one embodiment, the risers 9 arecontoured to have a curvature which substantially matches that of thecircular rib 5. In one embodiment, the contact shoes 11 comprise anouter convex surface, and an inner concave surface, and the contactshoes 11 overall contour does not coincide substantially with thecircular rib 5 as viewed from this perspective view of FIG. 2. Havingthe contact shoes 11 contoured in such fashion, coupled with their beingattached to the risers 9 at the intersections 13 permit some movement ofeach of the contact shoes 13 independently from the relativelystationary position of the risers 9 in a direction shown by the doubleheaded arrow depicted in FIG. 5, which movement is generally describableas being towards and away from the center of the base portion 3. Thus,when a cover 10 is produced in the configuration shown in FIG. 2 from athermoplastic material, there will be an inherent mechanical biasimparted to the contact shoes in the event they are moved in eitherdirection indicated by the double arrow shown in FIG. 5. By suchconfiguration, the contact shoes 11 can each be pushed slightly towardsthe center point of the base portion 3, and when this is done, they willresist such pushing slightly and have a slight mechanical bias backtowards their original position. This effect is of utility, when theinside diameter of the terminal portion of a conduit which is desired tobe covered is slightly less than the diameter of an imaginary circledrawn to be tangential to each of the contact shoes 11, for in suchcase, one may push or compress the contact shoes inwardly towards thecenter point of the base portion 3, and insert the assembly having thecontact shoes 11 so compressed into the conduit, so that the bottomsurface B of the base portion 3 is facing the interior of the conduit.Upon release, and after being positioned within the confines of such aconduit, the contact shoes, by their inherent mechanical bias, from theenergy stored by their compression, will exert a force that is orientedin a direction that is pointed outwardly from the centerpoint of thebase portion 3, towards the inner wall W (FIG. 6) of such a conduit,until the contact shoes 11 contact the inner wall of the conduit, thusproviding a securing force for the cover 10 in its installed position atthe terminal end of the conduit.

In FIG. 3 is shown a side perspective view of a cover 10 according toone embodiment of the invention, showing the respective locations of thebase portion 3 and its top surface S, the circular rib 5, risers 9,contact shoes 11, and intersection 13. In one embodiment, the convexsurfaces of the contact shoes 11 may have a surface texture 19 on them,which texture may include knurling or ribs, cast or machined onto theconvex surface of the contact shoes 11. Although described as beingshaped substantially triangular as viewed from a side perspective suchas that in FIG. 3, the risers 9 may have other shapes as well, includingrectangular, or any irregular shape, with a main proviso in oneembodiment being that the risers 9 should be connected to the circularrib along one of their edges, and should also have a contact shoe 11disposed at another of its edges, so that the longest length dimensionof the contact shoe is disposed to be substantially parallel to thebottom surface B of the base portion 3. Other embodiments have thislongest length dimension being non-perpendicular to the bottom surface Bof the base portion 3, including orientations in which it is skewthereto.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the top of a cover 10 according toone embodiment of the invention, showing the respective locations of thebase portion 3 and its top surface S, riser 9, contact shoes 11 havingtexture ribs 19, and intersection 13. Hole 15 is shown, as well asoptional surface texture 21. The optional surface texture 21 may be anyirregularity on the top surface S, including depressions, orprotrusions, in any shape, including cross-hatchings, knurling, ordepressions or protrusions of any geometric shape disposed in anypattern on the top surface S.

In FIG. 5 is shown a bottom view of a cover 10 according to oneembodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the respectivelocations of the base portion 3, circular rib 5, risers 9, and contactshoes 11 are shown, as well as the rib segments 7 and center hub 17.Also shown are the intersections 13, which are the locations at whichthe contact shoes 11 are attached to the risers 9. From this view, therisers 9 are seen to be contoured to have a curvature whichsubstantially matches that of the circular rib 5. In one embodiment, thecontact shoes 11 comprise an outer convex surface, and an inner concavesurface, and the overall contour of the contact shoes 11 collectivelydeparts from or is non-coincident with the circular rib 5, as comparedwith the risers 9. Having the contact shoes 11 contoured in suchfashion, coupled with their being attached to the risers 9 at theintersections 13 permit movement of each of the contact shoes 13 in adirection shown by the double headed arrow, which potential movement isgenerally describable as being either towards or away from the center ofthe base portion 3. By such configuration, the contact shoes 11 can eachbe pushed slightly towards the center point of the base portion 3, andwhen this is done, they will resist further such pushing slightly andacting analogously to springs, each will have a slight mechanical biasback towards their original position following application of anunbalanced force, such as pushing. This effect is of utility, when theinside diameter of the terminal portion of a conduit which is desired tobe covered, such as that defined by dashed circle C₁, is slightly lessthan the diameter of an imaginary circle drawn to be tangential to eachof the contact shoes 11 when in their equilibrium position (with noforce applied), such as dashed circle C₂, for in such case, one may pushor compress the contact shoes inwardly towards the center point of thebase portion 3, and insert the assembly having the contact shoes 11 socompressed into the conduit (FIG. 6), so that the bottom surface B ofthe base portion 3 is facing the interior of the conduit. Upon release,and after being positioned within the confines of such a conduit, thecontact shoes, by their inherent mechanical bias, from the energy storedby their compression, will exert a force that is oriented in a directionthat is pointed outwardly from the centerpoint of the base portion 3,towards the inner wall W (FIG. 6) of such a conduit, until the contactshoes 11 contact the inner wall of the conduit, thus providing asecuring force for the cover 10 in its installed position at theterminal end of the conduit, which may include frictional engagementbetween the contact shoes 11 and the wall W of the conduit. Shown inFIG. 5 also are the locations of the rib segments 7, center hub 17, andhole 15.

According to an alternate form of a cover provided herein, the segmentsof the circular rib 5 containing hash marks in FIG. 5 may be omitted, inwhich embodiments the circular rib 5 will then instead be replaced witha structure comprising a plurality of circular rib segments, each ofwhich circular rib segments have a riser and contact shoe attachedthereto as hereinbefore described. The location of such circular ribsegments so resulting may be disposed in any location earlier specifiedfor the circular rib itself, with respect to the outer circumferentialedge of the base portion 3.

FIG. 6 shows a side perspective view of a cover 10 according to oneembodiment of the invention and its relation to an access conduit 12which it is intended to be capable of covering. The access conduit 12 istypically disposed in a subterranean location, with its terminal end orlip portion 23 being at ground level. The conduit 12 has an opening 25,at its terminal end, as is known in the art. In typical installations,there is disposed within the conduit a control device, which may be aswitch, valve or the like. In FIG. 6, the control device is a valve 31having a handle 27, which controls the flow of water through pipe 29,which may be a water pipe. In one embodiment, the lip 23 of the conduit12 is contoured to be capable of receiving the circumferential edge ofthe cover 10 so as to render the cover/conduit assembly to have a flattop surface, with the top surface S (FIG. 4) of the base portioncomprising that flat top surface. The opening 25 of the conduit 12 has adiameter dimension that is exemplified by the points O₁ and O₂ atopposite points along the terminal portion of the conduit. In oneembodiment, the distance between points O₁ and O₂ of the conduit 12corresponds to the diameter of dashed circle C1 in FIG. 5. However,dashed circle C1 shall not be construed as being a boundary of themovement of the contact shoes 11, and the scope of their motion caninclude extension inwardly all the way to the circular rib 5 or evenmore towards the center of the base portion 3. Thus, to install cover 10onto the opening of the conduit 12, one may manually press the contactshoes 11 inward towards the center hub 17 of the cover 10, and place theportion of the cover 10 which comprises the contact shoes 11 into theopening of the conduit. The pressing on the shoes is released, thuscausing the contact shoes 11 to press outwardly against the wall W,securing the cover 10 fixed in position by the outward mechanical biasof the contact shoes 11, and gravity, to some extent. The cover 10 isthen pressed downward so that the circumferential edge of the baseportion 3 rests within the lip portion 23 of the conduit 12. To removethe cover 10 from a conduit once installed, one merely places a fingerthrough the hole 15 (FIG. 4) and pulls the cover 10 away from theconduit 12.

Although shown and described as having three risers 9 and contact shoes11, alternate embodiments of a cover 10 includes embodiments having two,four, five, six, and more of such combinations disposed along a circularrib 5 as described herein for the embodiments having three of suchcombinations. In preferred embodiments, such pluralities of risers andcontact shoes are spaced equidistantly from one another along thecircular rib 9, although this is not absolutely necessary.

A base portion 3 may be thought of as being a flat circular body forthose embodiments in which is generally shaped like a disc and isdimensioned to overlie and close an opening on a conduit (which conduitmay include valve boxes and underground landscape boxes of the typehaving an upper circular opening and a generally cylindrical inner wallwith an engagement ring defining an annular shoulder) as such are knownin the art.

FIG. 7 shows a side perspective view of the top open portion of anaccess conduit 12 similar to that shown in FIG. 6, excepting that inthis instance there is an engagement ring present on the inner wall W ofthe conduit, as such engagement rings are commonly encountered and arewell-known in the art. Such an engagement ring may be completelycoextensive with the inner wall W of the conduit, or may be present inthe form of a plurality of segments 33, as shown disposed on the innerwall of FIG. 7, having distances Dx and Dy between the engagement ringsegments 33, which distances Dx, Dy may be the same or different fromone another.

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the top of a cover 14 according analternate embodiment of the present disclosure. Such cover 14 includes abody, which is base portion 3 having a top surface S. Disposed on thetop surface S is a knockout provision over a hole 15 which enables auser to knockout a portion of the top surface S to reveal a holedisposed therethrough, as such knockout provisions are well-known in theart. At the location specified as 37 there is a second knockoutprovision, concealing a hole, which hole can be useful for passing abolt through the top surface S of the cover 14 to secure the cover 14 inplace once it has been disposed over the top of a conduit, such as 12 inFIG. 7. There are also a plurality of groups G of individual stabilitytangs 35A, 35B and 35C which are attached to the bottom B of the baseportion 3 and extend away from the bottom surface B of the base portion3. In one embodiment, the stability tangs 35A, 35B and 35C are attacheddirectly to the bottom surface B of the base portion 3, and in analternate embodiment the stability tangs 35A, 35B and 35C are attachedto the bottom surface B of the base portion 3 at a circular rib 5 (FIGS.9, 11) as was present on cover 10. There is also shown in FIG. 8 agrasping tab 39 that is useful in assisting an operator in lifting acover 14 from a conduit 12 in/on which it is disposed.

FIG. 9 shows a side perspective view of a cover 14 according to analternate embodiment, showing the respective locations of the baseportion 3, top surface S, circular rib 5, hole 15, which may include anoptional well 41, which is a hollow cylinder that is open on the topsurface S wherein the knockout provision is disposed at the bottom ofthe well 41 at location K. The knockout 37 is also shown. From this viewis seen that the stability tangs in one embodiment each comprise anouter surface 43 having notches, steps, ratchetings, flutings,knurlings, or any other non-smooth texture thereon, a linear innersurface 45 (which may also be curved), and an outer edge E.

Another feature of the stability tangs 35A, 35B and 35C is that inpreferred embodiments they are each selectively and easily removablefrom the base portion 3 (or circular rib 5) at their neck portion N by auser, in similar fashion as a knockout provision is removable, theimportance of which feature shall be made apparent below in reference toFIG. 12. Easily removable means that the stability tangs 35A, 35B and35C can each be removed from the cover 14 using no more force than isnecessary to remove a conventional knockout provision from either apolymeric or metallic common electrical box used in residential wiringinstallations, such as wall outlet boxes, generally only requiring apoking with an instrument such as a screwdriver or twisting with pliers,and a few subsequent bendings back and forth until the neck materialsuffers stress fatigue until the stability tang comes free. The samemethods may be employed to make the individual stability tangs easilyremovable from the base portion 3 as were employed relative to thecontact shoes 11 for cover 10, including scoring the neck portions N, orfabricating the cover 10 from polypropylene and the neck portions Nbeing polypropylene hinges, as such are well known in the art of moldedpolypropylene articles. In either embodiments 10 or 14, the use ofpolymers other than polypropylene facilitates the ease of removal of thecontact shoes 11 or stability tangs 35A, 35B, 35C, etc.; however, evenwhen polypropylene is employed a simple snip of scissors is typicallysufficient, thus making removal easy, when desired. Towards this end,fabricating the neck portion N to have a thickness that is less than theremaining portion of the stability tangs is of utility. This disclosureincludes other embodiments in which the stability tangs 35A, 35B and 35Care more rigidly attached, and must be cut off using a wire-cutter,scissor, tin snips, or other cutting implement.

FIG. 10 shows an overhead view of a cover 14 according to an alternateembodiment of the disclosure, showing the respective locations of thetab 39, hole 15 with knockout provision in the well 41, and the knockoutat 37.

FIG. 11 shows an underside view of a cover 14 according to an alternateembodiment of the disclosure showing the respective locations of aplurality of groups of stability tangs such as 35A, 35B, 35C. In thisembodiment, there are four groups of such stability tangs, disposed atthe twelve o'clock, three o'clock, six o'clock and nine o'clockpositions. However, the present disclosure provides covers such as thatshown in FIG. 11 having any number of groups of stability tangs betweentwo and twelve, inclusive (i.e., including two and twelve), wherein eachof the groups may comprise any number of individual stability tangsbetween one and six, inclusive (i.e., including one and six). Inpreferred embodiments, the groups of stability tangs are disposed on thesame circular path on the bottom surface B of the base portion 3 havinga centerpoint substantially corresponding to the center of the baseportion 3, the groups of stability tangs thus being equidistantly spacedfrom one another along that circular path, and are all thus inherentlydisposed at the same (or substantially the same, in alternateembodiments) distance from the center C of the bottom surface B of thecover 14. In one embodiment, the stability tangs are disposed at thecircumference of the base portion 3. In another embodiment, thestability tangs are disposed near the circumference of the base portion3. Within the instant description, “near” means any distance withinabout 3 centimeters from the circumferential edge of the base portion 3.The respective locations of the tab 39, hole with knockout 37, hole 15,circular rib 5, and rib segments 7 are also shown.

FIG. 12 shows an overhead view of the open end of a conduit according tothe prior art. In FIG. 12 are seen the engagement ring segments 33disposed on the inner wall W of the conduit 12. In the prior art, and infield use, are conduits having different configurations of engagementring segments, which typically have differing amounts of distancebetween the ends of individual ring segments 33, which differentdistances are exemplified by D1, D2, D3 and D4, and which distancescorrespond effectively to “voids” in or between the engagement ringsegments. In practice, a cover 14 such as that shown in FIG. 9 isdesired to be disposed over the opening of the conduit 12. For caseswhere the openings or voids in the engagement ring segments, such as D1,D2, D3 and D4 correspond to the locations and overall widths of thegroups of stability tangs on the underside of the cover 14, all that isnecessary is for one to line up the groups of stability tangs with thevoids between the engagement ring segments, lower the cover, and thenoptionally turn it slightly. By turning the cover after the engagementtangs have passed through the voids between the engagement ringsegments, this permits a portion (one of the steps) of the stepped outersurface 43 (FIG. 9) to engage with, ride on, rub up against, orotherwise provide a retaining force between the cover 14 and theengagement ring segments 33 as shown in FIG. 13. Then, if the userdesires, a bolt may be passed through the hole at 37 to secure the cover14 in position.

One desired object of the present disclosure is to provide a conduitcover which is capable of being adapted to the ends of a large number ofexisting conduits. However, since many of the conduits of the prior arthave different void distances between the ends of their engagement ringsegments, presently no single cover is capable of being adapted to alarge number of existing conduits. However, by my invention I haveprovided the covers herein to be so capable. This is exemplified in theoverhead view of FIG. 12, wherein the square boxes labeled A, B, and Crepresent potential locations of stability tangs with respect to theengagement ring segments 33 when a cover having features describedherein for a cover 14 is lowered onto a conduit opening, which in thisillustrative instance is into the plane of the paper. The stabilitytangs at locations represented by squares A and B in FIG. 12 have noproblem descending the void space V between the ends of adjacentengagement rings 33; however, the stability tang whose position isspecified by the location of the square labeled C cannot pass, itsdownward movement, and hence the entire downward movement of the cover14, being obstructed by that portion labeled X on the engagement ring33. However, all one must do in such instance, is remove the stabilitytang from the cover 14 that is located at the location defined by thesquare box labeled C in FIG. 12 and the remaining two stability tangs atA and B can easily pass through the void in the space D3, thus enablingthe cover to be lowered over the conduit, and then turned so that thestepped portion 43 of the stability tangs can engage, abut, etc. with anengagement ring segment as aforedescribed. In some embodiments, the edgeE (FIG. 9) of the stability tangs may contact the inner wall W of theconduit 12, depending on the dimensions of the conduit box opening, theengagement ring segments and stability tangs. In other embodiments, theydo not. In one embodiment, the stability tangs such as 35A, 35B, 35C arepart of a cover 14 which is single construct, being made by an injectionmolding process, and these stability tangs, being comprised of apolymeric material, have inherent flexibility. However, any attempt toflex them inwardly or outwardly towards or from the center of the cover,will result in a mechanical bias in the neck portion N of the stabilitytang, which can provide an engaging force against the engagement ringsegment disposed on the inner wall of the conduit 12 when they areflexed inwardly. In the embodiment of FIGS. 8, 9, 10, 11, the stabilitytangs do not have leading edges and/or trailing edges.

In further embodiments of existing prior art conduit boxes, there arefew or no engagement ring segments present on the inner wall of theconduit, but there are recesses in the surface of the inner wall W. Thestability tangs as provided herein are in these instances capable ofengaging with such recesses to provide a securing force for the cover 14as a whole.

In some embodiments, the distance that the stability tangs extend fromthe bottom surface of the cover 14, denoted by the dimension L in FIG.9, is desirably any distance in the range of between about three and sixcentimeters, with a distance between about four and five centimetersbeing preferred. The overall width of a group of stability tangs,denoted by the dimension M in FIG. 9 is preferably any value in therange of between about one and four centimeters, with a width of betweenabout two and three centimeters being preferred. In one especiallypreferred embodiment, there are three stability tangs in each group,there are four groups of stability tangs, the width M is 3.2 centimetersand the dimension L is about 4.75 centimeters, with a space of about0.32 cm existing between adjacent stability tangs in the group. In someembodiments, the width of a group of stability tangs M is less than thedistance L that the stability tangs extend from the bottom surface ofthe cover. In other embodiments, the width of a group of stability tangsM is greater than the distance L that the stability tangs extend fromthe bottom surface of the cover. Individual stability tangs may have anywidth Q in FIG. 9 between about two millimeters and about fifteenmillimeters, with a width Q of between about five millimeters and twelvemillimeters being preferred. Each of the stability tangs within a givengroup need not be of identical widths, as in some embodiments they areof identical widths Q, while in other embodiments two have differentwidth Q and in further embodiments all are of different width Q. Thedistance between individual stability tangs within a given group ofstability tangs may be any distance between about one millimeter and 10millimeters.

The stability tangs haven a longest length dimension, which is longerthan their width and their thickness. FIG. 9 shows the angle theta θthat the longest length dimension of the stability tangs may make withrespect to a line drawn perpendicular to the top surface of the baseportion 3, when a cover according to the disclosure is free-standing andnot installed on a conduit box, valve box, etc. In some embodiments,this angle θ is about 45 degrees. In other embodiments, this angle θ isabout 30 degrees. In further embodiments, this angle θ is about 60degrees. However, any angle theta θ in the range of from about 10degrees to about 80 degrees is suitable, more or less, and depending onthe features of the conduit box to which it is contemplated coveringwith a cover 10, 14 etc. according to this disclosure. When a coveraccording to the disclosure is installed on a conduit box, valve box,etc., the angle θ will be less than the case of the free-standing cover,and may be any angle in the range of between about zero degrees andabout 70 degrees.

In other embodiments, a cover such as 10 of FIG. 1 may have its contactshoes 11 attached at the intersection 13 in a way that makes theirremoval as easy or effortless as removing a knockout from an electricalbox.

Thus, the selective and easy removability of the stability tangs,coupled with their initial location and disposition on the cover, rendera cover according to this disclosure very versatile with regards to thenumber of prior art conduit boxes it is capable of covering in a securedfashion. This versatility reduces the need for the current practice ofthe manufacture of a large number of different covers, and reduceswarehouse stock requirements and will doubtlessly save energy and timeof all personnel involved in covering conduit boxes.

In alternate embodiments, the contact shoes 11 and stability tangs 35may be considered as collectively comprising a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced flexible flaps formed integrally with, fixed toand extending downwardly from the underside of the flat circular bodythat comprises the base portion, wherein the flaps have trailing edgeswhich are adapted to deflect radially inwardly to provide frictionalengagement with the inner wall and/or the engagement ring of thelandscape box. In other embodiments, a cover provided herein includesflexible flaps (contact shoes stability flaps or functional equivalentsthereof) which are not adapted to provide frictional engagement withboth the inner wall and the engagement ring of the landscape box, butonly with either the wall W alone, or an engagement ring (FIG. 7) alone.

For purposes of describing some embodiments taught by thisspecification, the leading edges may in some embodiments be consideredas being either the intersections 13, or the portion or edge of theriser 9 which is forward with respect to the contact shoe 11 which isattached to it, and the trailing edge may be considered as being thatportion of the contact shoe 11 which contacts the wall of a conduit inwhich a cover provided hereby is installed. While the contact shoes maybe curved as previously described, they may in some embodiments belinear as viewed from the perspective shown in FIG. 5.

A cover as provided hereby may have any diameter dimension suitable toenable it to cover an access conduit, but is typically any diameterbetween about 12 centimeters and 30 centimeters.

Additionally, any cover as provided herein and in the parent case ofthis application may be provided with slots or other holes disposedthrough the surface S of such covers and extending through the bottomsurface B, so as to render such covers capable of functioning as coversfor standing, horizontal, vertical or other drainpipes disposed ondriveways and other horizontal surfaces such as roads, and even openground. Such cover designs with or without holes, slots, etc. are alsouseful for covering circular swimming pool skimmers and other likeopenings.

Although this disclosure provides particular embodiments of a cover,obvious equivalent modifications and alterations thereof will becomeapparent to one of ordinary skill in this art after reading thisspecification and the claims appended hereto. This includes subjectmatter defined by any combination of any one of the various claimsappended hereto (or features or descriptions in the foregoingspecification) with any one or more of the remaining claims (or otherfeatures or descriptions in the foregoing specification), including theincorporation of the features and/or limitations of any dependent claim,singly or in combination with features and/or limitations of any one ormore of the other dependent claims, with features and/or limitations ofany one or more of the independent claims, with the remaining dependentclaims in their original text being read and applied to any independentclaim(s) so modified. This also includes combination of the featuresand/or limitations of one or more of the independent claims withfeatures and/or limitations of any other independent claim(s) to arriveat a modified independent claim, with the remaining dependent claims intheir original text being read and applied to any independent claim somodified. Accordingly, the presently disclosed invention is intended tocover all such modifications and alterations.

1) A cover useful for covering an open end of a tubular access conduit,which comprises: a) a substantially-circular, disc-shaped base portionhaving a top surface, a bottom surface, and a circumferential edge; b) aplurality of arcuate rib segments disposed on said bottom surface ofsaid base portion, wherein said arcuate rib segments are each in araised disposition with respect to said bottom surface; c) a riserattached to and extending upwardly from each of said arcuate ribsegments; d) a plurality of contact shoes, each of which contact shoesare attached to one and only one of said risers; e) a hub centrallydisposed on said bottom surface of said base portion; and f) a pluralityof linear rib segments disposed on said bottom surface of said baseportion and extending from each of said risers to said hub. 2) A coveraccording to claim 1 wherein said risers are substantiallyrectangularly-shaped, as viewed from a side perspective. 3) A coveraccording to claim 1 wherein the contact shoes are oriented so thattheir longest length dimensions are disposed to be substantiallyparallel to the bottom surface of said base portion. 4) A coveraccording to claim 1 wherein said arcuate rib segments are disposed tobe present on said bottom surface of said base portion at any locationthat is distanced between about one-twelfth of the radius of the baseportion and three-fourths of the radius of the base portion, from saidcircumferential edge of said base portion. 5) A cover according to claim1 comprising four arcuate rib segments. 6) A cover according to claim 1comprising four linear rib segments. 7) A cover according to claim 1comprising four contact shoes. 8) A cover according to claim 1 whereinthe number of risers present is equal to the number of contact shoespresent. 9) A cover according to claim 8 wherein the number of riser andcontact shoe combinations present is any number selected from the groupconsisting of: two, three, four, five, and six. 10) A cover according toclaim 1 wherein said combinations are spaced equidistantly from oneanother along a circular path on the bottom surface of said baseportion. 11) A cover according to claim 1 comprising four arcuate ribsegments, four linear rib segments, four risers, and four contact shoes.12) A cover according to claim 1 wherein said contact shoes have acurvature which is different from the curvature of said arcuate ribsegments when said cover is viewed from the bottom perspective. 13) Acover according to claim 1, further comprising a hole disposed throughsaid base portion, said hole having a diameter sufficient to admit ahuman finger. 14) A cover according to claim 1 wherein said contactshoes are substantially rectangular when viewed from the sideperspective. 15) A cover according to claim 11 wherein said arcuate ribsegments are spaced equidistantly from one another along a circular pathon the bottom surface of said base portion, wherein said arcuate ribsegments are disposed to be present on said bottom surface of said baseportion at any location that is distanced between about one-twelfth ofthe radius of the base portion and three-fourths of the radius of thebase portion, from said circumferential edge of said base portion, andwherein said risers are rectangularly-shaped as viewed from a sideperspective. 16) A cover according to claim 15 wherein said contactshoes are substantially rectangular when viewed from a side perspective.